They were hoping for a celebration. Instead, the Morehouse College Maroon Tigers football team learned Sunday that they would not be among the 24 teams playing in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
“That’s a tough deal,” said Coach Rich Freeman, whose team ended the season 7-3. “I didn’t even know West Alabama was on the top 10 list. I guess they deserve to be in the playoffs.”
Morehouse has never made the Division II playoffs, said Freeman, who was cautiously optimistic his team would hear its name Sunday afternoon.
In anticipation, the team gathered in Douglas Hall on the campus. As they waited for ESPNews to come on, some nervously paced the floor, while others played cards or texted friends. Other teammates watched the day's sports highlights on three wide-screen TVs.
By 3 p.m. there was a hush over the room.
Even though they didn't make the playoffs this year, David Carter, a freshman ranked among the top 10 running backs in the conference, intends to stay focused on making it into the championships next year.
Last year, team members thought they would be chosen, only to come up short. All week long, players have been talking about the playoffs, Freeman said.
Despite Sunday's disappointing news, running back coach Phillip Thomas said the team’s success sends a clear message.
“Morehouse has never been considered a jock school. The focus has been more on academics than athletics,” said Thomas, an alum of the school. “Now it can be said that Morehouse can be as good in athletics as academics.”
From here, Freeman said, the focus will be on what the team will do in the post season.
“It is disappointing and hard to communicate to them right now,” he said. “When we meet on Tuesday, we will discuss it all.”
Staff writer Larry Hartstein contributed to this report.
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